CHAPTER # 6

PLATE GIRDERS
1/3 - Proportioning
Dr. Nauman KHURRAM
Assistant Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology
Lahore
1
 PLATE GIRDER
 A plate girder is a beam built-up from separate plate
elements welded or riveted together.
 Simplest plate girder is a combination of two flanges
and one web plates properly connected together,
while stiffener plates may be added in some girders to
improve the stability.
 Moment is taken by the flanges and shear is resisted
by the web.
 Flange plates may be made compact or non-compact
but the web is made slender in majority of the large
plate girders.
2
 Hence, the depth over thickness ratio of the web is
always greater than 161.2 but it should not be more
than 320, when A36 steel is employed.
 This arrangement of plates in which the flanges are
designed for moment and web is designed for shear
help to achieve efficient cross-section than is possible
with rolled sections.
 The other most important component of plate girders
is stiffeners used to provide indirect stability to non-
compact web.
 Plate girders are economical where spans are long
enough to permit saving in cost by proportioning for
the particular requirements.
3
 Labour cost for assembling such a girder is
generally higher than that by using hot rolled
sections, which may offset the saving in material
cost for short span beams.
 Plate girders may be of riveted, bolted, or welded
type, as shown in Figures 6.1 and 6.2, depending
upon economy, construction time and field
conditions.

4
5
PLATE GIRDER BRIDGE ON RIVER RAVI

6
Flange Plate
Bearing Stiffener Plates
tf

Web
h
tw Web Intermediate
Plate Stiffener Plate

tf
bf a
Weld

Figure 6.2. A Typical Welded Plate Girder.

7
PLATE GIRDER IN
BULIDING STRUCTURE
Beacon House DHA Phase VI
Designed by
(Izhar Group of Companies)
8
 SPAN LENGTHS
 Plate girders are economical for railroad bridges, which
are subjected to heavy loads, for spans in the range of 14
to 40 m.
 For highway bridges, this economical range is 24 to 46m.
 They are often very competitive for much longer spans,
particularly when continuous.
 Plate girders are common for 60 m spans and have been
used for many spans in excess of 120 m.
 Trusses become more economical for spans larger than
the economical span range of the plate girders.
 These are also used in buildings for larger spans and
heavy loads, for example, in case of heavy crane runway
girders. 9
DIFFERENCES FROM AN ORDINARY BEAM
1. Girder is a special type of beam.
2. Spans are bigger.
3. Loads are heavy.
4. Plate girder usually consists of built-up sections.
5. Main difference is that girder is actually a deep beam.
The web is usually very thin as compared to its depth.
Plate girders may be distinguished from beams on the
basis of the web slenderness ratio h/tw.
Generally ,For plate girders,
h t w  5.70 E / Fy
h/tw equal to 161.2 for A36 steel.
10
However, according to AISC F13.2,
h/tw ≤ 0.40 E / Fy for a/h > 1.5
(320 for A36 steel)
h t w 12.0 E / Fy for a/h  1.5
(339 for A36 steel)

6. Girder is a non-compact or slender section. Buckling

in webs due to diagonal compression caused by
shear may be allowed in such girders. Post-buckling
strength is available in the presence of web
stiffeners.

11
TYPES OF PLATE GIRDERS
i. Welded and riveted plate girder as shown earlier in
Figures 6.1 and 6.2.
ii. Box girders used for heavy loads that can also resist
torsion to a large extent (Figure 6.3).
iii. Hybrid girders are shown in Figure 6.4 in which the
flanges are made up of high strength steel (A514
having Fy = 350 MPa) while the web may be made of
ordinary steel (A36 having Fy = 250 MPa).

Fig. 6.3. Welded and riveted Box Fig 6.4. Hybrid Girder 12
Girder.
iv. Crane bridge girder is a special
type of plate girder used to
support the crane loads, as
shown in Fig.6.5. Crane
runway girders provided in a
perpendicular direction to the
crane bridge at the ends may
also be plate girders. Fig 6.5. Crane Girder in
Industrial Building

v. N-Type girder, as in Fig. 6.6, may also be used for

special field requirements having stiffeners just like
vertical and diagonal members of a truss.

Fig 6.5. A Typical

N Type Girder
13
VAIORUS SHAPES OF PLATE GIRDER
BRIDGES

14
15
CRANE PLATE GIRDERS

16
vi. Prestressed girder is a plate girder in which prestressing
tendons are placed to apply moments opposite to the
expected moments due to loads (Fig. 6.7). Load carrying
capacity increases and the deflections reduce by using
prestressing.
vii. Delta girder, shown in Fig. 6.8, may be used for more
stability of the compression flange.
viii.Varying cross section girder having more depth in
regions of greater moment may be economical in certain
cases.

Fig 6.7. Simply Supported Prestress Girder Fig 6.8. A Typical

17
Delta Girder
PLATE GIRDERS COMPARED TO TRUSSES
1. The fabrication cost is lower than for trusses but higher
than for rolled beam sections.
2. Due to their relatively stronger axis stiffness, vibrations
and impact are not serious problems for plate girders.
3. Plate girders require smaller vertical clearance than
trusses.
4. Detailing for a truss and construction according to these
details, especially for connections, is quite involved as
compared with plate girders.
5. In case of accident, such as striking of a truck to bridge
side fence, the plate girder may only bend without
serious consequences.
18
 However, a similar occasion for a truss may break few
members making the structure unstable. Collapse of
the structure may result under such conditions.
6. Maintenance including painting is easier in case of
plate girders than in trusses.
7. Material cost for plate girders is usually higher than
the material cost for the corresponding trusses.
However, the labour cost may be lesser in plate
girders.

PROPORTIONING OF THE SECTION

Proportioning the section means to decide the flange
and web sizes and to check that whether, these sizes
provide the required strength. 19
According to AISC, the ratio of web area to the
compression flange area (aw) must not be more than 10.
The important requirements of proportioning may be
summarized as under:-
1. Section modulus must be sufficient to resist the applied
bending moments at various sections of the girder.
2. The web with or without the help of the stiffeners must
provide adequate shear strength.
3. Moment of inertia must be sufficient to keep the
deflections within limits.
4. Lateral bending stiffness of the girder must be
sufficiently large to prevent lateral-torsional buckling.
5. Stability must be provided to the non-compact web
through the use of bearing and intermediate stiffeners.
20
 Depth (h)
The height “h” (or depth) for welded plate girders is the
distance between inner ends of flanges, which varies between
L/6 to L/15 with most common values of L/10 to L/12.
For no depth restriction, economic design is obtained using
the following:
h  1.1M u  3 , (mm)
1

Where, Mu = maximum factored moment in N-mm.

The depth must be selected in multiples of 25 mm.
Self Weight
Approximate self-weight in kN/m is given by the following
expressions:
selfweight  0.013M u 
0.67 where Mu is in the
kN-m units. 21
Web Thickness With Intermediate
Stiffeners
Plate girder design with slender webs is valid when
h t w  5.70 E / Fy
h/tw = 161.2 for A36 steel.
 (tw)max = h /161.2
The minimum web thickness, (tw)min, should be maximum
out of the following tw1, tw2 and tw3:
1- For corrosion resistance
tw1 = 10 mm is a common minimum for unsheltered
girders while 6 or 8 mm are minimum values for
more sheltered building girders. 22
2- For vertical buckling of the compression flange
If the web of a plate-girder is too slender, the two sides of
the compression flange may buckle together in a vertical
plane at a stress less than yield stress.
This behaviour is different from
ordinary local flange buckling.
Denoting the clear stiffener
spacing by a, following limitations
of the web sizing may be listed
that keeps the flange buckling
effect within limits:
For a / h > 1.5 h t w max  0.4 E Fy (320 for A36 steel)

For a / h  1.5 h tw max  12.0 E / Fy (339 for A36 steel)

23
 The second value is more critical and may be used in
cases where the value of a/h is not exactly known.

 t w2  h 320
3- To provide the required shear strength, considering 60%
of yield shear strength for slender web,
Vu Vu 1000
t w3  
0.6  v  0.6 Fy h 0.6  0.9  0.6  250 h
Vu
t w3  12.4 for A36 steel
h
The web thickness close to the minimum is selected, but is
rounded to the higher whole number millimetres up to 10
mm and then 12, 15, 18, 20, etc. mm.
24
 Flange Dimensions
Flange dimensions may be decided using the following
Flange Area Formula:
M u b Aw
Af  
R pg Fcr h 6
where Mu is in N-mm and Rpg is the plate girder flexural
strength reduction coefficient, defined as under:
aw  hc E  hc t w
R pg  1   5.70  1.0 aw   10

1200  300 aw  t w 
Fcr  b fc t fc
Where,
hc = twice the distance from the centroid to the nearest line
of fasteners at the compression flange or the inside
faces of the compression flange when welds are used 25
 bfc = width of the compression flange and
tfc = the thickness of the compression flange.
Assuming Rpg.Fcr  225 MPa, the required flange area
becomes:
Mu Aw
A f  0.0049  for A36 steel and Mu in N-mm
h 6
Flange width
Flange width and thickness are decided from the calculated
flange area such that the flange has width/thickness ratio ()
preferably less than or equal to r.
 = bf / 2tf
can be either kept equal to p for compact flange or even
greater than p, however, it may be kept lesser than r.
26
 p = 10.8 for A36 steel
For doubly symmetric sections:
kc E
r  0.95 = 19 for A36 steel
0.7 Fy
4 kc value is between 0.35 and 0.76
kc 
h / tw (0.35 for slender webs)

For  = p : b f  2 p ( A f ) req

The flange width (bf) normally varies between h/3 to h/6 at

maximum moment section.
If the above calculated flange width is lesser than h/6, then
use bf = h/6 may be used.
27
Greater width of the flange with lesser thickness creates
problems associated with FLB and smaller width with
larger thickness reduces the lateral strength of the girder,
making LTB more critical.
A balance should be made between the two dimensions to
achieve nearly same strengths for both FLB and LTB
limit states.
The decided bf should be rounded to the nearest multiples
of 50 mm.
Further the ratio area to the compression flange area
should not be more than 10.

28
 Flange Thickness
( A f ) req bf
tf  Check:    r
(b f ) selected 2t f
The increments in flange plate thickness should be as follows:
tf  10 mm 2 mm
10 mm  tf  40 mm 12,15,18,20,…,38,40 mm
tf > 40 mm 5 mm
Related Definitions
1. Radius of Gyration (rt)
b fc
rt  hc t w
The exact value
 ho 1 h2 
aw 
of rt is : 12   aw  b fc t fc
 d 6 ho d  29
 ho = distance between the flange centroids.
rt = radius of gyration of a section comprising of the
compression flange plus 1/3rd of the compression web
area, taken about an axis in the plane of the web

t fcb3fc / 12 b fc
rt  
A fc  Aw / 6 121  aw / 6

Where, Aw = h tw and Afc = bfc  tfc

2. Compression Flange Slenderness

Ratio For LTB =Lb / rt
3. Bending Coefficient (Cb) defined Figure 6.9. Section For
earlier for beams. Calculation of rt
30
 4. Elastic Section Modulus
Sxc = Sx with respect to the outside fibre of the
compression flange.
Sxt = Sx with respect to the outside fibre of the
tension flange.
6. Plate Girder Flexural Strength Reduction Factor (Rpg)
This factor takes care of effect of the web instability on the
local stability of the flange.
Values Of Important Parameters
For LTB Limit State
Lb = unbraced length for the compression flange
L p  1.1 rt E / Fy  31.1 rt / 1000 (m) for A36 steel
Lr   rt E / 0.7 Fy  106.2  rt / 1000 (m) for A36 steel
31
 For FLB Limit State:
bf 4
 kc  between 0.35 and 0.76
2t f h / tw 0.35 for slender webs)

E
 p  0.38 = 10.8 for A36 steel
Fy

kc E
r  0.95 = 19 for A36 steel
FL
Where, FL = 0.7 Fy for major axis bending of slender
web built-up section.
WLB Limit State:
This limit state is considered during the stiffener design.
32
Critical Compression Flange Stress For LTB (Fcr)
For Lb  Lp Fcr = Fy
  Lb  L p 
For Lp < Lb  Lr Fcr  Cb Fy 1  0.3    Fy
  L  L 
 r p 

Cb 2 E
For Lb > Lr Fcr   Fy
Lb rt 
2

Critical Compression Flange Stress For FLB (Fcr)

For   p Fcr = Fy
     pf 
For p <   r Fcr  Fy 1  0.3  
   
 rf pf 

For  > r Fcr 

0.9 Ekc

63000 for slender
 2
2 web sections
33
Plate Girder Bending Strength Reduction Factor (Rpg)
This reduction factor takes care of reduction in bending
strength due to thin or slender web.
A thin web attached to a flange may reduce the strength
provided by it and also that provided by the flange indirectly.

aw h E 
R pg  1   c
 5.70   1.0
1200  300 aw  t w Fy 
hc t w
aw 
b fct fc
Where,
aw = ratio of web area to compression flange area.
hc = twice the distance from the centroid to the nearest line
of fasteners at the compression flange or the inside faces
of the compression flange when welds are used. 34
Nominal Flexural Strength (Mn)
If, h / t w  5.70 E / Fy find Mn as for a regular beam
with compact web.

If above condition is not satisfied, the nominal flexural

strength (Mn) is the lower value obtained from limit states
of tension flange yielding and compression flange buckling,
as follows:
For yielding of the tension flange,
Mn = Sxt Fy / 106
For buckling of the compression flange,
Mn = Sxc Rpg Fcr / 106
where Fcr is taken as the smaller value for LTB and FLB
limit states.
Sxt = Sxc = Sx for doubly symmetrical I-sections35
 Cutting-Off Cover Plates In Riveted Girders
Or Reducing Flange Area In Welded Girders
 In case of riveted plate girders, 2 or 3 flange plates
(called cover plates) along with a pair of angles are
selected for the flanges.
 Two of the cover plates may be cut off at locations
where the bending moment is sufficiently low. Each of
the plate separately must satisfy bf / 2tf ratio limits.
 In case of welded plate girder, the flange plate can be
reduced in size where moment is lesser. The reduced
plate must separately satisfy the bf / 2tf ratio limits.
 Total area of cover plates of bolted girder should not
exceed the 70% of total area of flange.
36
 The extension of cover plates beyond the theoretical
cut-off point must be attached to girder by bolts weld
or slip critical connection
 In case of welded plate girder, the flange plate can be
reduced in size where moment is lesser. The reduced
plate must separately satisfy the bf / 2tf ratio limits.

Figure 6.10. Graphical Location of Theoretical cut-off locations

M = full moment capacity
M1 = moment capacity after 1st reduction in flange area
M2 = moment capacity after 2nd reduction in flange area 37
Example 6.1:
Proportion a plate girder with a span of 20m to support a
factored UDL (wu) of 70 kN/m in addition to self-load and
two factored concentrated loads (Pu) of 750 kN each located
7m from the roller and hinge supports at both ends. The
compression flange is laterally supported at ends and at the
points of concentrated loads. The girder is unsheltered.
Solution:
Self Weight, S.F. and B.M. Diagrams
70  202
M u max  750  7   8750, kN  m
8
Self weight  0.013 (Mu)0.67 = 5.7 kN/m
Factored self weight = 1.2  5.7 = 6.9 kN/m
38
 Total factored UDL = 70 + 6.9 = 76.9 kN/m
(Mu)max = 9095 kN-m : (Vu)max = 1519 kN

a) Depth Of Web:
1

h  1.1M u 
3

 
3
h  1.1 9095 106
h= 2296 mm
Say h= 2300
(multiples of 25 mm)

39
b) Thickness of Web with Intermediate Stiffeners:
1. (tw)min = 10 mm for corrosion control of unsheltered
girders.
2. (tw)min = h /320 = 2300 / 320 = 7.19 mm
Vu 1000 Vu 1000
3. (tw)min = 
0.6  v  0.6  Fy .h 0.6  0.9  0.6  250  h

tw min Vu
 12.4  12.4 
1519
 8.2mm
h 2300
tw = maximum out of the above values rounded according
to the available sizes.
 tw = 10 mm

t w max 
h

2300
 14.27 mm  t w (OK)
161.2 161.5
40
 Trial Size Of Web = 230010 mm
c) Flange Dimensions:
Mu Aw 9095 106 2300 10
A f  0.0049   0.0049 
h 6 2300 6
Af = 15,543 mm2
 345 
Check If Lb   387   ( Af ) req
 Cb 
 345 
Lb  6000mm   387   15543  5236mm (NOT OK)
 1 

Lb = 6m is for the central Portion where Moment is maximum

A f .req 15,543
Af  
Cb (1.11  .0026 Lb / A f .req 1(1.11  .0026  6000 / 15,543

Af = 15,943 mm2 41
 b f  2 p ( A f ) req  2 10.7 15543  577
say bf = 600 mm (multiples of 50 mm)
Check If
h 2300
b f  600mm    384mm (OK)
6 6
Af 15543
tf    25.9mm say 28 mm
bf 600
bf 600
   10.71  r = 19 (OK)
2t f 2  28

Two Trial Flanges: 60028 mm Plates

Calculation of rt
3
t f .b f 12 28  (600)3 12
rt    156mm
A f  Aw 6 28  600  (2300 10) 6
42
Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus

h  t f 2  w
3
Af t h
Ix 
2 12
600  28 10  23003
Ix  2300  28  2
 5,566,367 104 mm4
2 12
2 Ix 2(5,566,367 10 4 )
S xt  S xc    47,253 103 mm3
h  2t f 2300  2  28

Critical Compression Flange Stress (Fcr)

LTB – Portion AB and CD
Mx = 1519 x – 76.9 x2 / 2
Mmax = 8749.0 MA = 2540.5
MB = 4845.5 MC = 6915.0
12.5 M max
Cb 
2.5 M max  3M A  4 M B  3MC 43
 12.5  8749.0
Cb   1.57
2.5 (8749.0)  3 (2540.5)  4 (4845.5)  3 (6915.0)

Lb = 7.00 m
Lp = 0.0311 rt = 4.85 m,
Lr = 0.1062 rt = 16.57 m

Lp = 4.85 < Lb = 7  Lr = 16.57  Inelastic Buckling

  Lb  L p 
Fcr  Cb Fy 1  0.3    Fy
  L  L 
 r p 

  7.00  4.85 
Fcr  1.57  2501  0.3    370.9  Fy  250
  16.57  4.85 
Fcr = Fy = 250 MPa
Note: Full flange may be extended into these segment
44
LTB – Portion BC
Mx = 8749 + 230.7x - 79.6x2/2
Mmax = 9095.0 MA = 9008.5
MB = 9095.0 MC = 9008.0
12.5  9095
Cb   1.0
2.5  9095  3 9008.5  4  9095  3 9008.5

Lb = 6.00 m , Lp = 4.85 m , Lr = 16.57 m

Lp = 4.85 < Lb = 6.0  Lr = 16.57  Inelastic Buckling
  Lb  L p    6  4.85 
Fcr  Cb Fy 1  0.3     1 2501  0.3    242.6
 
  Lr  L p    16.57  4.85 

Fcr = 242.6 ≤ Fy = 250 MPa

45
 Flange Local Buckling (FLB)
 = 10.71 , p = 10.8 ,
r = 19
 < p  Fcr = 250 MPa

Plate Girder Bending Strength Reduction Factor (Rpg):

h tw 2300 10
aw    1.37 aw < 10 (OK)
(b f t f )comp. flange 600  28
aw h E 
R pg  1   5.7   1.0
1200  300 aw  t w Fy 

1.37  2300 2  10 5 
R pg  1   5.7   0.942
1200  300 1.37  10 250 
46
Check For Strength:
bMn = b Sxc Rpg Fcr / 106
= 0.9  47,253  103  0.942  242.6 / 106
= 9718.8 kN-m > (Mu)max = 9095 kN-m (OK)
Note: Up to 15% difference on safe side is OK, otherwise, revise
by reducing flange size. Less than 1% difference may be allowed
on unsafe side, otherwise, revise by selecting larger flanges.
Theoretical Location where Half Flange Area May be
Curtailed
Note: Reduced flange area is expected only in end panels for this
simply supported girder.
Half Flange Size
Reduced Af = (600 x 28) / 2 = 8,400 mm2
47
 Let bf  h/5 = 500 mm (larger than h /6)
8,400
tf   16.8 say 18 mm
500
500
  13.9  < r = 19 (OK)
2  18
Trial Reduced Flange Size = 50018 mm

Calculation of rt (Reduced Flange)

3
t f .b f 12 18  (500)3 12
rt    121mm
A f  Aw 6 18  500  (2300 10) 6

Calculation Of Fcr (Reduced Flange)

LTB
Note: Only the exterior unbraced length has the reduced
flange for some part of its length. 48
 Lb = 6.00 m , Cb = 1.57
Lp = 0.0311rt = 0.0311x121= 3.76 m
Lr = 0.1062rt = 0.1062x121 =12.85 m
Lp = 3.76 < Lb = 7.0  Lr = 12.85  Inelastic Buckling

  Lb  L p    7  3.76 
Fcr  Cb Fy 1  0.3     1.57  2501  0.3    350.53
 
  Lr  L p    12.85  3.76 
Fcr = 350.53 ≤ Fy = 250 Mpa
Thus, Fcr = Fy = 250 MPa
Flange Local Buckling (FLB)
 = 13.9 , p = 10.8 ,
r = 19
p <  < r  Inelastic Buckling 49
      p    13.9  10.7 
Fcr  Fy 1  0.3     2501  0.3    221.08
 
  r   p    19  10.7 

Fcr = 221.08 ≤ Fy = 250 MPa

Determination of Rpg (Reduced Flange):
h tw 2300 10
aw    2.56 aw < 10 (OK)
(b f t f )comp. flange 500 18

aw h E 
R pg  1   5.7  1.0

1200  300 aw  t w 
Fy 

2.56  2300 2  10 5 
R pg  1   5.7   0.91
1200  300  2.56  10 250 
50
Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus

h  t f 2  w
3
Af t h
Ix 
2 12
500 18  3
Ix  2300  182  10 2300
2 12
I x  3,431,823 10 4 mm4

2 Ix 2(3,431,823 10 4 )
S xt  S xc    29,382 103 mm3
h  2t f 2300  2 18

Check For Strength:

bMn = b Sxc Rpg Fcr / 106
= 0.9  23,382  103  0.91  221.08 / 106
= 5320 kN-m
51
Distance (x) Of Theoretical Cut-Off Point From End
Assuming that cut-off point lies within the end panel,
5320 = 1519x – 76.9x2/2
38.45 x2 – 1519 x + 5320 = 0
1519  1220.3
x  3.9m
2  38.45
At x = 3.9m (Mu = 5320 kN-m, Vu = 1219.1 kN)
Flange-To-Web Weld
At the End (Calculate shear Stress at web-flange Junction)
 htf   2300  18 
Q  Af    500 18   14,43110 , mm
3 3

 2   2 
Ix = 3,431,823  104 mm4
Vu = 1519 kN 52
 Vu Q 1519 10,431103
Shear  Flow    0.462
Ix 3,431,823 10 4

Shear Flow = 0.462 kN/mm for welds on both faces

Shear Flow = 0.231 kN/mm for weld on one side
Weld Size
tp1 = thickness of web = 10 mm
tp2 = 18 or 28 mm , (tw)min = 5 mm
(tw)max = tp1 – 2 = 8 mm , (tw)opt = 8 mm
 tw = 8 mm
Weld Value Using E 70 Electrode
1) 0.7580.70710.6495/1000 = 1.26 kN/mm
Rw= smaller of
2) 0.751010.6400/1000 = 1.8 kN/mm

 Rw = 1.26 kN/mm 53
 Note:
Rw is significantly greater than the calculated shear flow.
This means that intermittent weld is to be used in place of
continuous weld.
(lw)min = 4tw = 32 mm
Let, lw = 50 mm
x = c/c spacing of these welds
Average weld strength  w  Rw = required strength

per unit length x per unit length
lw  Rw 50 1.26
x   272mm
qv 0.231
Fig. 6.12. Intermittent
Use 850 welds 250 mm c/c Flange-To-Web Weld.
54